Dispenser for an aerosol container



June 15, 1965 E. J. JOFFE 3,189,232

DISPENSER FOR AN AEROSOL CONTAINER Filed Oct. 22, 1962 III" .1

INVENTOR. E J OFf ArTOQNEY United States Patent 3,189,232 DISPENSER FGR AN AEROSUL CGNTAlNEh; Edward J. Joi're, Summit, Ni, assignor to Park Flastics Co., Inc., Linden, NJL, a corporation of New Jersey Filed Oct. 22, 1962, Ser. No. 232,231 4 Claims. (Cl. ZZZ-3W1) This invention relates to a dispenser for an aerosol container of the type having a dispensing valve that is adapted to dispense upon depression thereof. Aerosol containers of the particular class are well known in the art and are used for a multitude of purposes. It is the purpose of my invention to contribute a dispensing attachment that may be applied readily to a container of the type described, after which the operation of some manual device such as a trigger, will effect the dispensing of the contents of the container in a controlled and effective manner. More particularly, it is the purpose of my invention to contribute a dispensing attachment of the class described for use in dispensing effectively material such as liquid soap or the like, although, naturally, the dispenser attachment has a multitude of uses as will appear quite clearly.

As a particular feature of my invention, the attachment embodies a tube through which material will move from the opening in the dispensing valve of the aerosol container. Even more particularly, the valve of the aerosol container is adapted to hold or press a portion of the dispensing tube to a particular position, the movement of the portion of the dispensing tube from this position being effective to depress the dispensing valve whereby to elfect the movement of the contents of the container through the dispensing valve and into the dispensing tube.

As a still more particular feature of the invention, I utilize a dispensing body in which is mounted a dispensing tube, one end of the dispensing tube being adapted to be fitted over the dispensing valve when the dispensing body itself is applied to the aerosol container. The pressure of the dispensing valve of the container maintains the tube preferably in a bowed condition, and means such as a trigger are adapted to straighten the tube, as by removing some of the bow, thereby applying pressure to the dispensing valve so that the contents of the container will be released for movement under pressure through the valve and through the dispensing tube.

1 have thus outlined rather broadly the more important features of my invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and

and scope of my invention, in order to prevent the appropriation of my invention by those skilled in the art.

Referring now to the drawings,

FIG. 1 is an elevation showing an aerosol container with my dispenser body applied thereto;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section through the upper portion of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view of the parts of FIG. 2, with the tube actuated for the dispensing of the material from the aerosol container;

FIG. 4 is a section along lines l- 4 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the top of the aerosol container and the bottom of the dispenser body.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, ref- 3,189,232 Patented June 15, 1965 sion 12 within which is secured a dispensing valve 13 including a stem 14 having a vertical dispensing opening 15. The construction of the aerosol can thus described is standard in the art, as those skilled in the art fully appreciate. The stem 14 is pressed upwardly by a suitable spring, and when depressed against the pressure of the spring, will effect the flow of material from the container through the opening or passage 15. The construction of the valve and its operation is standard and is not importane to an understanding of my invention. It need merely be appreciated that when the stem 14 is depressed against the pressure of a spring in a manner well understood by those skilled in the art, soap or like material within the container 10 will move under considerable pressure through the passage or opening 15. The dispenser body of my invention is designated generally by the numeral 16, and is best illustrated in FIG. 1. There it is shown in the form of a small pistol, this form being preferred be cause the particular dispenser body herein shown is to be used for dispensing soap to children.

Dispenser body 16 is formed of two halves 16a and 16b of complementary construction adapted to be joined along a center line and to be there cemented together. The particular form illustrated by me here is made of plastic and the two halves are readily held together by a suitable cement. What appears to be screws 17 in FIG. 1 are merely decorations so as to simulate the appearance of a pistol. One of the halves 16b of the dispenser body 16 is well shown in FIG. 2, wherein the reference numerals 18 indicate pins and complementary sockets for holding the two parts in alignment when they are being cemented together.

The lower ends of the two parts when assembled form a circular flange 19 that is slotted as at 21} whereby to make the flange yielding and somewhat resilient. The flange is so shaped that it may be readily applied to the rim 11 of the aerosol container 10, as well illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. The relationship between the rim 11 and the flange 19 prior to assembly is well illustrated in FIG. 5.

A tube 25 of flexible plastic material is placed between the two halves of the dispenser body is prior to the assembly of the two halves. The upper end of the tube is formed with a dispensing mouth 26 and below this month 26 there is formed a groove 27 that coacts with the end surfaces of the two parts and 1612 making up the dispenser body 16. Obviously, the dispensing mouth 26 of the tube 25 is held against movement relatively to the assembled dispenser body 16. The lower end of the tube 25 is formed with a pair of limit arms 28 that lie outside a plate 29 formed at the bottom of the dispensing body 16. This plate 2% has an opening 39 sufficiently large in diameter to permit the liding of a portion 31 of the dispensing tube 25. The upper end of the portion 31 is defined by a shoulder portion 32, this shoulder portion 32 coacting with opposed flanges 33 integral with a trigger 34.

This trigger 34 is formed with circular lugs 35 at each side thereof, each lug being housed within a bearing opening 36 formed in each of the halves of the dispenser body 16. The trigger 34 is equipped with a finger piece 37 that extends outwardly through a slot 38 formed by the assembly of the two halves 16a, 16b of the dispenser body.

, Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the trigger and tube will be placed in position between the two halves of the dispenser body prior to the cementing together of those two halves. Obviously, the trigger Will be adapted for rotation on its lugs 35 relatively to the bearing 36 formed on each of the halves of the dispenser body. It will be obvious also that the tube 25 will lie between the flanges 33 of the trigger and that the trigger 3 will res-t against the shoulder portion 32 that is integral with the tube.

When the dispenser body 16 is applied to the aerosol dispenser as by snapping it downwardly, as shown in .FIG. 5, into the assembled position of FIG. 2, the lower ,end of the dispensing tube 25 will be placed over the dispensing valve stem 14. It will be noted that the upper ,end of the dispensing valve 14 will lie against an inter- ;nal shoulder 40 in the internal passage of the tube 25. Further, pressure of the conventional spring d1 forcing ithe valve stem 14 upwardly, will tend to move the tube :25 to its bowed position of FIG. 2 with the upward movement of the tube limited by the arms 28 that are formed integrally with the tube. At the same time, the trigger 34 will be held in its position of FIG. 2 through ithe pressure of the shoulder 32 of the tube against the parallel flanges 33 of the trigger. If it is now desired to dispense the contents of the can 10, the trigger 37 is moved as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 3 from its position of FIG. 2, eflectively removing some of the bow of the tube. Specifically, parallel flanges 33 operate against the shoulder 32 of the tube and depress the tube downwardly until the shoulder 32 strikes the plate 29. This straightening movement of the tube causes its internal shoulder 40 to press the dispensing valve stem 14 downwardly. Due to the standard construction of the dispensing valve 13 and its stem 14, the contents of the aerosol can will move upwardly through the passage 15 and into the internal passage of the tube 25 and outwardly as shown at F in FIG. 3.

It will now, therefore, be appreciated that through the utilization of a simple dispenser body involving only a trigger and a flexible and moving stem, 1 can effect dis pensing with full control. It is believed that those skilled in the art will appreciate the very considerable contribution that I have thus made to the prior art.

I now claim:

1. A dispenser for an aerosol container of the type having a valve which through pressure exerted thereagainst is pressed outwardly of the container into a closed position to prevent escape of material from said container through said valve until said valve is pressed inwardly of said container against said pressure, comprising a dispenser body adapted to be assembled to the container, said body being formed by the assembly of two complementary halves, a flexible dispensing tube in said dispenser body positioned between the two halves of the body, means on the two halves of said body holding the dispensing end of said tube fixed at a dispensing opening while mounting the receiving end of the tube for limited sliding motion, a surface on the receiving end of the tube accepting the endwise pressure of said valve when said body is applied to said container, the pressure on said valve holding it in its normal closed position While pressing the receiving end of said flexible dispensing tube into a predetermined inward limited position in said body, a trigger mounted within said body and having a finger portion projecting outwardly of said body through a slot formed between the two halves of said body, and means on said trigger for moving said receiving end of the dispensing tube to depress said valve against the pressure exerted thereagainst whereby to efiect flow of material through said valve and said dispensing tube from said container.

2. A dispenser for an aerosol container of the type having a valve which through pressure exerted thereagainst is pressed outwardly of the container into a closed position to prevent escape of material from said container through said valve until said valve is pressed inwardly of said container against said pressure, comprising a dispenser body, said body being formed by the assembly of two complementary halves with said halves having a circular bottom portion formed with surfaces for assembly to said container, a flexible dispensing tube in said dispenser body positioned between the two halves of the body, means on the two halves of said body mounting the receiving end of the tube for limited sliding motion at said bottom, a surface on the receiving end of the tube accepting the endwise pressure of said valve when said body is applied at said circular bottom to said container, the presure on said valve holding it in its normal closed position while pressing the receiving end of said flexible dispensing tube inwardly relatively to said body, a trigger mounted within said body on each of the two halves and having a finger portion projecting outwardly of said body through a slot formed between the two halves of said body, and means on said trigger for moving said receiving end of the dispensing tube to depress said valve against the pressure exerted thereagainst whereby to effect how of material through said valve and said dispensing tube from said container.

3. A dispenser for an aerosol container of the type having a valve which through pressure exerted thereagainst is pressed outwardly of the container into a closed position to prevent escape of material from said container through said valve until said valve is pressed inwardly of said container against said pressure, comprising a dispenser body, means integral with said dispenser body for mounting said body on the container, a flexible dispensing tube separate from said dispenser body and placed in said dispenser body and having an upper dispensing end and a lower receiving end, said receiving end extending outwardly relatively to said body and having a surface for coaction with said valve and for accepting the endwise pressure of said valve when said dispenser body is assembled to said container, the pressure on said valve holding it in closed position while pressing said receiving end of said flexible dispensing tube inwardly relatively to said body and therefore relatively to the dispensing end of said tube whereby to contribute predetermined curvature to said tube so as to shorten the effective distance between said dispensing and receiving ends of said tube, and manually movable means on said dispensing body for decreasing said predetermined curvature and thereby lengthening the effective distance between said dispensing and receiving ends whereby to move said receiving end of said dispensing tube linearly relatively to said body in the direction of movement of said valve to depress said valve against the pressure exerted thereagainst whereby to eflect flow of material through said valve and said dispensing tube from said container.

4. A dispenser for an aerosol container of the type having a valve which through pressure exerted thereagainst is pressed outwardly of the container into a closed position to prevent escape of material from said container through said valve until said valve is pressed inwardly of said container against said pressure, comprising a dispenser body, means for mounting said body on the container, a flexible dispensing tube separate from said dispenser body and placed in said dispenser body and having an upper dispensing end and a lower receiving end, said receiving end having a surface for coaction with said valve and for accepting the endwise pressure of said valve when said dispenser body is assembled to said container, the pressure on said valve holding it in closed position while pressing said receiving end of said flexible dispensing tube relatively to said body whereby to contribute predetermined curvature to said tube so as to shorten the effective distance between said dispensing and receiving ends or" said tube, and manually movable means on said dispensing body for decreasing said predetermined curvature and thereby lengthening the effective distance between said dispensing and receiving ends whereby to move said receiving end of said dispensing tub linearly relatively to said body in the direction of movement of said valve to depress said valve against the pressure exerted thereagainst whereby to effect flow of material through said valve and said dispensing tube from said container.

(References on following page) 5 6 References Cited by the Examiner 2,966,283 12/60 Darvie 222--183 et a1. 2 940 641 6/60 K h t 1 222 183 FOREIGN PATENTS 2941728 6/60 ,532}; m 5 279,261 10/27 Great Britain.

2,943,766 7/ 60 Orr 222-394 X RAPHAEL M.LUPO, Primary Examinen 

4. A DISPENSER FOR AN AEROSOL CONTAINER OF THE TYPE HAVING A VALVE WHICH THROUGH PRESSURE EXERTED THEREAGAINST IS PRESSED OUTWARDLY OF THE CONTAINER INTO A CLOSED POSITION TO PREVENT ESCAPE OF MATERIAL FROM SAID CONTAINER THROUGH SAID VALVE UNTIL SAID VALVE IS PRESSED INWARDLY OF SAID CONTAINER AGAINST SAID PRESSURE, COMPRISING A DISPENSER BODY, MEANS FOR MOUNTING SAID BODY ON THE CONTAINER, A FLEXIBLE DISPENSING TUBE SEPARATE FROM SAID DISPENSER BODY AND PLACED IN SAID DISPENSER BODY AND HAVING AN UPPER DISPENSING END AND A LOWER RECEIVING END, SAID RECEIVING END HAVING A SURFACE FOR COACTION WITH SAID VALVE AND FOR ACCEPTING THE ENDWISE PRESSURE OF SAID VALVE WHEN SAID DISPENSER BODY IS ASSEMBLED TO SAID CONTAINER, THE PRESSURE ON SAID VALVE HOLDING IT IN CLOSED POSITION WHILE PRESSING SAID RECEIVING END OF SAID FLEXIBLE DISPENSING TUBE RELATIVELY TO SAID BODY WHEREBY TO CONTRIBUTE PREDETERMINED CURVATURE TO SAID TUBE SO AS TO SHORTEN THE EFFECTIVE DISTANCE BETWEEN SAID DISPENSING AND RECEIVING ENDS OF SAID TUBE, AND MANUALLY MOVABLE MEANS ON SAID DISPENSING BODY FOR DECREASING SAID PREDETERMINED CURVATURE AND THEREBY LENGTHTENING THE EFFECTIVE DISTANCE BETWEEN SAID DISPENSING AND RECEIVING ENDS WHEREBY TO MOVE SAID RECEIVING END OF SAID DIEPENSING TUB LINEARLY RELATIVELY TO SAID BODY IN DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF SAID VALVE TO DEPRESS SAID VALVE AGAINST THE PRESSURE EXERTED THEREAGAINST WHEREBY TO EFFECT FLOW OF MATERIAL THROUGH SAID VALVE AND SAID DISPENSING TUBE FROM SAID CONTAINER. 